Index: /issm/trunk/src/m/classes/plotoptions.m
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk/src/m/classes/plotoptions.m	(revision 19405)
+++ /issm/trunk/src/m/classes/plotoptions.m	(revision 19406)
@@ -104,5 +104,5 @@
 
 					 %get suplot(s) associated
-					 string=strsplit(rawlist{i,1},'#');
+					 string=strsplit_strict(rawlist{i,1},'#');
 					 plotnums=string{end};
 					 field=string{1};
@@ -127,10 +127,10 @@
 							 %pound i-j
 						 elseif ismember('-',plotnum)
-							 nums=strsplit(plotnum,'-');
+							 nums=strsplit_strict(plotnum,'-');
 							 if length(nums)~=2, continue; end
-							 if ~isnumeric(nums)
+							 if isempty(str2num(nums{1}))|isempty(str2num(nums{2}))
 								 error(['the option #i-j is not set properly for ' field]);
 							 end
-							 for j=nums(1):nums(2),
+							 for j=str2num(nums{1}):str2num(nums{2}),
 								 opt.list{j}=addfield(opt.list{j},field,rawlist{i,2});
 							 end